“But she has made her deal, and it cannot be broken.”
“Can it be altered?”
Ilu considered that. “Perhaps.”
“No,” Nergal yelled as he battled the female with the ax. “Don’t listen to him, Ilu. You don’t need him.”
“You need peace, I think,” Khent said quietly. “As do we all. This is what Valentine gives me, a heart full and a mind content. I’m happy with her as I’m happy nowhere else.” After a pause, he added, “And I’m not so alone.”
Talon felt the tears slide down his cheeks, missing his mate so fucking much.
“But a life for a life has already been met.”
“And yet, you do not have that full life, do you?” Khent shook that colossal head and puffed a waft of smoke. “I would give you my life instead.”
Talon could see Val struggle, but when she spoke, it was Ilu’s voice that said, “You are mighty. But you do not have a life I can possess. Your kind has always been a challenge, reaper. But your offer was a worthy one. Valentine is special. I… Wait.” She held up a hand and stood there.
Having an internal discussion?
Talon hastened up the steps and tapped Khent’s flank. “Hey. Reaper.”
Khent swung that mighty head around, and Talon experienced real fear. So fierce, almost magical in nature. Fucking dragons.
“Yes, traitor?” The dragon’s left brow rose, a serpentine version of Khent for sure.
Talon couldn’t help laughing. In a lower voice, he said, “I’m here to help. Hecate sent me.”
“You’re here to help?” Khent scoffed. “Go for it.”
“Just don’t interfere. And keep that staff away from…damn.”
They both watched as Vladimir picked up the staff and stood tall, covered in head-to-toe magic as the force of plagues covered him in neon-green glyphs, settling into his face, so that the green stood out from his pitch-black skin.
“Well, that can’t be good.” Khent sighed, and his scalding breath washed over Talon, burning like a mother.
“Fuck.Don’t do that.”
They watched Vladimir take a few steps closer to the throne, smiling, while Nergal and his demons continued to fight Rolf and the woman, who didn’t seem to be getting anywhere asmore and more demons, misshaped and hungry, poured into the cavern.
What else could possibly go wrong?
CHAPTER
FIFTY
Why doyou not have all your power? Why would you give it away?Ilu sounded annoyed.
Val mentally shrugged.
And then she wasn’t an idea anymore.
She stood in that grassy point of perfection Ilu had shown her, talking to a mirror image of herself. Val wore jeans and a tee-shirt, feeling human. Ilu wore smoke and didn’t have eyes. Weird, but Val appreciated being able to talktosomeone and notatsomeone.
“I was never taught necromancy because my parents died before they could teach me. I learned by doing it all myself. And the way I commanded the dead was to give them a piece of me. Of you, I guess.”
“Good guess.” Ilu was snarky, imagine that. “Well? Go get the rest of me. I cannot be complete like this, even if we are super powerful at present.”
“No.”
